Recipes›vegetable

Rhubarb Wine

Garden rhubarb makes a surprisingly delicate, pale pink wine with a pleasantly tart finish. Best drunk young and slightly chilled.

Difficulty
intermediate
Yield
4.5L
Ready In
9 months

Rhubarb Wine (4.5L / 1 Gallon)

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg rhubarb stalks (red-stalked varieties preferred)
  • 1.2 kg white sugar
  • 1 tsp yeast nutrient
  • 1 tsp pectolase
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 Campden tablet
  • 1 sachet white wine yeast
  • Water to 4.5 litres

Notes on Rhubarb

Use only the stalks — rhubarb leaves are highly toxic. Don't use leaves at any stage. Young spring rhubarb (April–May) gives the best flavour and most attractive colour.

Instructions

Preparation: Wash and chop rhubarb into 2cm pieces. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with the sugar, cover and leave for 24–48 hours. The sugar will draw out the juice through osmosis.

Day 2: Pour the rhubarb and all the juice into a sterilised bucket. Add the lemon juice. Add 3 litres of cold water. Add Campden tablet. Cover for 24 hours.

Day 3: Mash the softened rhubarb thoroughly. Strain through muslin into a measuring jug. Check SG — top up with water to 4.5 litres if needed. Add pectolase and yeast nutrient. SG should be around 1.080. Add yeast.

Secondary: Rhubarb wine ferments relatively quickly. Transfer to demijohn after 5 days.

Clearing: Can be slightly stubborn to clear. Bentonite fining helps.

Maturation: Best at 6–9 months. Serve chilled like a rosé.

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